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Several people have indicted that circumstances dictate the continuation of September's Super Scrimpers regime and the tough line instituted by Ninja SavingsKat in her challenges (see NSK).

Austerity October? Austerity with a twist because although the turtle way is difficult we always aim to have some fun along the way, provide the odd inspirational quote, offer help and advice, sympathise when things go wrong and celebrate our successes. Remember No Turtle Gets Left Behind.

Commit to the challenge, follow the rules to the best of your ability. The rules are all tools that will help you on your debt free journey, the more tools you utilise, the more you will save but if you are new, it can take a while to get up to speed with them all. Don't worry.

The Truth is out ThereQuestion EverythingBe Stronger Than Your Excuses

Organise. Start as you mean to go on. Know the contents of your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Plan your meals around them. Cook from scratch. Don't buy anything you can make unless cost /time taken dictates otherwise. If you are new to turtle challenges or still have full cupboards you could try living from the cupboards.

Regular budget items should be set by 3rd October at the latest (extra time allowed because this is being posted later than usual). If you don't know how much you are spending on food or petrol, now is the time to find out. Question every purchase - need or want? Can you make a percentage cut to one of your budget items - 3% to 10% you decide. Most importantly, Pay To Your Debt Or savings First, Live off What Is Left.

Get Ready for Winter. Checklist in separate post. You decide how and when to implement it.

ALWAYS Be Kind

No Spend Days. Aim for 20 (high target) or 15 (low). You will not lose an NSD for petrol included in petrol budget, medical expenses (you don't choose when to be ill but stocking up would be cheaper), yellow sticker purchases only (no additional full price items). For regular activites where fees are paid weekly (children's clubs, window cleaner) you can set aside the money for the month on a spend day and avoid losing a spend day each week.

Special exemption for the turtle who's family drink milk by the bucketload. Any requests for special exemptions will be considered (some turtles manage their money in other ways)

IMPROVISE. Make do and mend with a creative twist. think of a substitute ingredient, how to make an old/broken piece of furniture last a little longer. Looking forward to reading your stories on this one (not if they invlove sending OH to work in your pants).

STOPTOBER Are you participating? Have you any bad habits to curb or a good one to implement or re-instate.

EXERCISE Four times a week at least (20 minutes minimum but can be done 10 minutes at a time). Get outside in daylight as often as possible.

ONE MORE TIME It is never too late for a second chance. Some of us set goals in January. last month thrifty asked us to look at where we wanted to be, why we weren't there and what was going wrong. Now you need to put in the small steps that will lead to your goal. If you have fallen off the path, start again - just because you can't do it all, doesn't mean you can't do any. New starters may like to set some goals for the next 3 months.

CHRISTMAS Sorry we do have to talk about it. If you love it and have been planning and saving all year, enjoy yourself.But let us think about cutting back.You still have time to have the 'no present pact' talk (token presents/ children only) or talk your work colleagues or other groups into only giving one card to the whole group with savings possibly going to charity.

You still have time to make presents but may need to buy materials (may be more time for edible gifts). Involve children in making gifts particularly for grand-parents and teachers. Encourage them to have a toy clear out and pass on any that are no longer wanted to younger family memebrs or charity (or sell to make a few pennies).

Finally Don't Be A Martyr For ChristmasIf the works annual do is a chore (and an expensive one) opt out. Say you aren't going.Some people have lovely families and love to gather together. Most of us have the odd awkward relative and some would try the patience of a saint. Don't let others take you for granted and don't feel obliged to welcome all and sundry.If Christmas is a difficult time for you, take time out if you need it, treat yourself kindly .

THE Challenge will run from 00.00 on 1st October until 00.00 on 31st October.

ODD - This month's inspiration is going to be slightly off the wall. Looking forward to how many of you can follow where others boldly go

BANNED Takeaways, coffee shops, chippys, pie shops, vending machines, sandwich bars etc. exemption for turtls who budget for this from personal/ social spending or who have nowhere else to meet a friend. Dispensation for support for sick friends.

REPORTin, daily if possible (I know some people have access problems). Sometimes people slink off if they have strayed but you will not feel better until you tell your fellow turtles about it. BE STRONGER THAN YOUR EXCUSES.

not a SFD as needed milk bread and got madam a bar of choc for a treat

Kindness - gave a sh*t about the trauma one of my clients is going through. It's my job, but often feel people I work with need someone who cares about the trauma they are experiencing. so many cuts in mental health services there isn't enough support around.

No organising or working on my goals. Think I'll call my daughter then knit and listen to audio book

What am I grateful for? (I've had a rough day so would do well to count my blessings!)

* woke up late, so was late to work but no one in the office so hassle free
* madam is doing mindfulness work at school and was doing work around worrying. Her "happy place" is our home
* it's the weekend & as I work pt I am off until Tuesday
* my 9 lovely squashes I harvested on Tuesday that are currently sat in the kitchen. Some of them are beasts!
* I lost another 1lb that's 5 in total and only another 3 to go
* I have a lovely partner and a happy home life
* I don't have much money but have lots of free time and a nice home life
* my lovely oh brought me home some violet colouring and some glass jars to make some sugar scrub to give as a gift. I now have all the items

Day 6
Was a spend day. Had to get a few things after work. Will update notebook tomorrow.
Walked 20 minutes and read book.
Took lunch into work and used food etc today.
Grateful for:
It is Friday.
Being able to do some errands after work.
Able to mark somethings off my to do list for tomorrow as I was able to do them today.

Frugal Living Challenge 2018Mortgage free as of 1st August 2013NST February A FOREST ADVENTURE NSD 14/18

Day 6 check in:
Spend day today - OH and I went out today (entry fee £20) but avoided the cafe and took our own picnic and tea / coffee
Also needed more shopping as my brother has turned up 'for a few days' while he is between jobs Shopping budget is therefore likely to be blown, and my challenge will be to keep this to a minimum!
All spends noted in my spending diary, and my signature duly updated re household / shopping spends.
Exercise - walked several miles today
Extra money - did a survey for Yougov, waiting for one for onepoll, as I am 5p away from being able to cash out £40. They always keep you waiting for the last little bit, but one will come up eventually and they will pay up

Lauralozzle if that even legal re over time? I cannot believe any employer would expect you to work for nothing!! My employer occasionally gets the odd 15mins out if me before or after work & I think that's very good of me haha!

Managed to come in under budget this week so got the kids hair cut and halloween costumes- these were on my list for the next few weeks anyway so I figured get them from this weeks left over budget rather than just leave it in purse & fritter it away. Boys look handsome & one of the cuts was free using my loyalty card

I got a free side from the KFC app, so I got my eldest a corn on the cob while we were out, it was quite chilly so it was a nice warm treat on a cold day and one of his 5 a day alsp a free banana from Tesco for each of the kids, I always take advantage of that whenever we are in there. F

Honestly that is taking the mick re ot! ahhhhhh! It makes me so mad how over recent years employers seem to expect more and more. I work for a charity and often work a bit extra because there are important things to do for my clients. BUT I feel that is my choice and something I am giving freely. But a lot of the time - and I've had 3 employers over the last 4 years and all 3 have expected you to do more than your contracted hours - more and more these days there are expectations you will do stuff outside of your contracted hours for gratis, and it's not even as if it's asked!

I always feel like that about take out. Trying to break the habit, although tbf we only have had take outs max 1 x month over recent years. It just isn't worth it, better to have a couple of frozen pizzas in the freezer for when you cba

Yes, it is taking the mick with overtime. Until rules go back to what they were I'm not doing it (I don't understand how during normal hours time standards state a certain price of work takes say for example 30 minutes and all of a sudden for overtime it takes 20 minutes. The work is no different, it's exactly the same).

Lauren - I don't know re if it wasn't s legal - But I do know if I stopped after the four hours and there was work left they'd be words on the Monday as there is an expectation to hit your target.

Frozen pizzas might be a good idea to be honest - we don't like the Aldi ones though so might have to pick some nicer, slightly more expensive ones (to appease the OH). We'd have been fed by the time it arrived too - took an hour. Nothing quick about that.

Check in #6/31
Not a NSD.
Long walk today with a friend round the local area making the most of a beautiful autumnal day. Harvest moon last night was stunning.
Weekend list of things to do which appears achievable.

I'm sorry, but I have let you down today. I was eating yoghurt and doing quite a good job of persuading myself it was as good as chocolate. DS3 and Beloved went somewhere, came back with chip shop food. I coud smell the chips and vinegar from upstairs and it was so good that I caved in and went to buy some.

I have had a quiet relaxing day. Things have been done (currently on fourth washing machine load with at least two to go) and lots of sinkfuls of pots and recycling washed but I haven't rushed, lots of purposeful pottering and sedentary bits in between. Was hoping to carry on for quite a while but I've slumped a bit in the past hour so may read and sleep.

Today I am grateful for lovely drying weather, for chip shop tea and for still having clothes to put on.

Thriftylass : No need to have cellar envy....it's a massive space that needs de-junking, painting & clearing. I suppose once it's done it'll be more useful, but it is an old coal cellar. Until we discovered it flooded when the water table is high )happens a lot round here) we used to keep lots more down there...

Spendy day today so NSD still at 3/15

Organise: Managed to briefly get down cellar, spent about 10 mins brushing down wall prepping for painting, which I didn't get done as we went out. Included removing newspaper from shelves from 1997

Lunch HM & from stores, soup made from remains of chicken, plus various veg in fridge from other meals, but tasty. Both DD & I a bit unwell so chicken soup very welcome.

Supper was a meal out so no cooking required.Food budget: £137.44 /250

Be kind: giving it conscious thought now.

One more time: Meal out so not diet friendly. Back on SW wagon tomorrow.

Extra Income: done a couple of surveys, will be some time before I get any payout

Christmas: still socking along for Christmas

Exercise: Walking round shops only exercise..

Heating: still off but have gas bottle to take off chill

Grateful for: Lovely sunny day again, plus amazing amounts of butterflies & bees in the hot spot, took film on phone to remind me later on.

Getting my railcard renewed 'for free' after consulting this site & using Tesco vouchers...needed £15 worth to get a £30 railcard - had £16 worth..happy days

Spending very little money when out shopping, even DD commented 'why haven't you bought anything?' Erm because there was nothing I really needed tbh

Booking a few days city break away with DD - she hasn't had a holiday at all since she started training in March, this is the first time she's had any leave at all. Used cashback site for hotel, looks lovely - & also got Nectar points. DH also on board as he booked the train tickets - using my new railcard - & also got Nectar points

Mothernerd I really feel for you trying to do all that you do & also be asked to be star baker as well!! Maybe you can deflect to something that will be easier for you, I do hope so!!

NSD number 5!! hub is away until 24th so hoping to get most of these in and be under budget until he comes back.

Back on my healthy eating toda. & goiNg to take the boys somewhere English heritage , they were dragged around town yday so I promised them a more fun day.

Corned beef for tea which I will make too much of to save for another meal.

Today I am greatful for a more chilled out day, that the estate I live on has so many things coming up (like halloween) that they really make an effort with for the kids, for the support I get from work & my family while hub is away (albeit emotional as they're miles away) and for my littlie going to bed like a good boy last night & seeming more like his usual lovely self after a few off weeks.

Yesterday was odd. Not a NSD but everything that was on my proper list was out of stock, from the stuff at the supermarket (totally empty freezer shelf) to the Korean mini market down the road. I guess they are reaping the benefit of the students returning after a slower summer trade. Annoying for me though. I seemed to spend most of the afternoon leaving shops without buying anything at all. Did get a nice YS haul in Mr T's, ice pops and things for the kids. No nutritional value, but still a treat.

Not sure about my coat hooks. Will go and look at some more today. I have bought a 2 meter length of pre-painted skirting for £6 that I want to put the hooks on (making 2 or 3 - not a massive 2m long school cloakroom thing) as the ones you can buy in the shops look really small, and I want something put up quite high, and longer than the ones in the shops . There are 6 of us! We have coats! and hats, and scarfs, and snoods, and gloves, and well, STUFF! and it does not need to be dumped on the floor in the hall - So there.

Waiting in for mattress topper to be delivered. Well, someone will be waiting in for the mattress topper. Once DH gets up I am gone. Poof!!!

It will not be a NSD but I have £55 left in the budget until Monday,
I am ordering blinds online today. After I have done all the outside stuff that needs to be done.

I have to rescind my alcohol free day from yesterday...My OH came from from work with beer! I only had one though which is a huge achievement for me on a Friday night, I usually have quite a bit. Going round a friends house tonight and planned takeaway (from personal spend) and some wine, be good to catch up!

I am going to do a 'freezer audit' to see what HM meals are left then work out my shopping list from there and do a few top up meals to keep a good amount of HM food in the freezer. It is still pretty full to be honest but want a good mix of meals. I bought some Lidl sausages last week for my OH's breakfasts and he doesn't like them so put them in the freezer. Going to make a sausage and butter bean stew with them for his lunches, he will eat them!! I am following a specific diet so can't eat them!

I weighed myself today and I am 5lbs lighter than 2 weeks a go Happy with this and it has spurred me on...just 2 stone to go!!

foxholes don't know what ages yours are but when my boys were small I had two rows of coathooks (mine were on bits of spare wood left from other projects, then stained and varnished) - one at normal adult height and one lower down at the right height for the children. There were enough spare for their gym bags (one less thing to hunt for in the mornings) and scarves and mittens/ sun hats as appropriate). If it's staring them in the face they learn to hang them up (except for DS3 who's a serial sling it over the back of a couch - whole couch these days as he's very tall and has a fondness for for length coats).

NSD - 5/12 Nope - tiny shop in A1di, ordered school pics DS2 and we are eating out tonight. Oh - and DS1 had long overdue visit to barber shop!

Improvise -

Exercise
* Week 1 - 3/4 - oops

Jan Goals - "By the end of the year I want to have halved the (non mtge) debt we have and have lost 20lbs - and also get fitter along the way"
Debt at start of year more than halved.
Weight/ fitness = Still need to weigh myself

Extra income -50 y0ug0v points and small flebay sale (of an item I got free )

Christmas - couple of the photos ordered will be included in presents

Get Ready Checklist
1 - Health - vitamins not yet taken today so still 5/31
4 - Maintenance - need to contact plasterer & electrician by 10/10. (Have mentioned it to electrician's wife - mum at school - but need to do it properly) OH has messaged plumber we used for bathrooms before - fingers crossed he still has the same email.....
Have messaged plasterer (03/10) - no reply as yet and I phoned plumber (03/10)- no longer trading so now need to find a plumber....

Gratitudes:
* it's the weekend
* looking forward to tonight
* DD has messaged and is enjoying the start of Y2 at uni
* washing mostly dry
* my mum has taken smalls out for hours!

ETA: Do Vet appointments (non routine) count as medical expenses and so NSDs can be retained or not...?

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